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I have a little problem. I'm addicted to cookbooks, food writing, recipe collecting, and cooking. I have a lot of recipes waiting for me to try them, and ideas from articles, tv, and restaurants often lead to new dishes. I started losing track of what I've done. So now I'm taking photos and writing about what I've prepared—unless it's terrible in which case I forget it ever happened.

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

These cute, little appetizers caught my eye when they appeared in the December issue of Living magazine. They looked like the kind of bite-sized food that would be popular at a party, so I made them for Oscars night. Sadly, I was once again completely wrong about all of my Oscar win predictions, but I was right about these mini turnovers. They’re kind of like everyone’s favorite artichoke dip tucked into pockets of puff pastry. The filling is a bechamel into which parmesan and pecorino are melted before the chopped artichokes are added, and it’s cooled and allowed to set up a bit before it’s used. Even though there are a few steps involved in preparing these, they can be made in stages. Once they’re all assembled, they can sit in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. The quantities in the original recipe result in about 70 turnovers which is quite a lot. That’s great for a big party, but for a smaller gathering, you might want to cut the recipe in half or leave some in the freezer for another time. And, speaking of that original recipe, I wasn’t able to find it online, so I’ll include it below.

The sauce started with melted butter and minced shallot and garlic. Flour was added, and then white wine was whisked into the roux. Once reduced a bit, milk was whisked into the sauce and when it thickened, the chopped artichoke hearts, shredded parmesan and pecorino, some thyme, and lemon zest were added. I actually made the filling a day in advance, so once it was cool, I stored it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, I rolled a sheet of puff pastry out to just over 15 inches by 21 inches and cut it into 35 three-inch square pieces. A tablespoon of filling was placed in the center of each square. The pastry was folded over the filling into a triangle and then two corners were folded in to meet in the center making a neat packet. When all 35 were filled, they were placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet and placed in the freezer, and the process was repeated with a second sheet of puff pastry. They were baked straight from the freezer after being brushed with egg wash.

They came out of the oven golden and flakey, looking like ideal partners for cocktails, and the wine, lemon zest, and thyme in the filling gave it more interesting flavor than the stand-by artichoke dip. They were one of the big winners of the night since they were long gone well before best picture was announced.

-Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, and add shallot and garlic and cook for one minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about two minutes. Whisk while slowly pouring in the wine and allow to cook until reduced by half, about two minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil, and allow to thicken while stirring. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

-Remove from heat and stir in artichoke hearts, cheeses, thyme, and lemon zest. Let cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to use.

-Arrange 1 tablespoon artichoke mixture in the center of each square. Brush two perpendicular edges with water, and fold over to form a triangle and press to seal. Brush a corner of the triangle with water and join it to the opposite point to form a little folded-in packet. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Or, freeze for up to two months.)

Those are gorgeous and they sound delicious. I have been craving artichokes lately. I have been getting my fix by getting grilled artichokes at our Italian deli. These little turnovers would probably work better for a crowd.

Wow, Lisa--if there is anything to bring out the savory in us, this is it! These are gorgeous and that filling sounds divine. I am sure they were a hit...would be surprised if they lasted to the first commercial break! Cheers.

Wow, great party food. Did you serve these warm? I'm catering a series of art gallery openings and I am challenged by the fact that the gallery does not have an oven - just a microwave. I'm sensing that these need to be warm...

Lisa, these are gorgeous! And they sound super delicious...as well as super addictive. You probably need 70 of those even for a small gathering, because I bet nobody can stop at just having one or two of these. :-)

Dana: Actually, I didn't re-heat them after taking them to the party. They do stay warm in the middle for a while. I just put them on a tray without covering it so they wouldn't get soggy from the steam.

I never think of making a savory turnover. I have no idea why. The filling sounds divine Lisa. All my favorite ingredients in it. I am just dreaming of the combo of zest, thyme, garlic and artichokes. What a great party treat.

Artichoke are not commonly available in Singapore, and when I do stumble upon some, it usually looks quite wilted! I'd definitely make these the first chance I get my hands on some ;) Looks delectable and I think it's the cuteness that won me over :)